Primary and secondary school students from all parts of county Limerick were among the one thousand who attended Mid West Limerick for Engineering Showcase 2018 at Shannon Airport on Thursday last.
The event which had been postponed one week due to Storm Emma, also attracted parents of school going children, teachers, career guidance councillors and those curious about the ever developing world of engineering.
In its fourth year, this free showcase is the brainchild of the Limerick for Engineering consortium – an industry led collaboration between 30 leading companies in the mid west and the region’s education providers.
During the three hour event, students engaged with the companies (indigenous and multi national); viewed the most cutting edge technologies, witnessed demonstrations by full time engineers, and learned first hand about the multiple career opportunities available in the Mid West to young people with an interest in engineering.
Staff and students from Limerick Institute of Technology, the University of Limerick, the Limerick, Clare ETB and Griffith College were on hand to outline the various courses and routes that are available to students wishing to pursue a career in the engineering field.
Paschal Meehan, Dean, Work Based Learning, Vice President of International Engagement and Chairperson of Limerick for Engineering described this year’s showcase as exceptional, attracting the largest ever number of attendees.
“Limerick for Engineering is a unique collaboration between industry and education which informs the next generation of engineers. The industry displays at this year’s showcase were interactive and informative and generated great interest among those who attended.” said Mr Meehan.
Barry O’Sullivan, General Manager, Johnson & Johnson Vision & President of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland said the Mid West Limerick for Engineering Showcase demonstrated the various interesting and exciting careers in engineering available throughout the region.
“The key contributor to the success of established companies in the region has been the availability of engineering graduates from the regional education and training institutions including the Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), University of Limerick (UL), and the Limerick Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB)” Mr. O’Sullivan said.
Following on the success of the this year’s event the fifth Mid West Limerick for Engineering Showcase 2018 will return to Shannon Airport in 2019.
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